Level-maintaining means in pumping systems



July 1, 1930. c. H. BRASEL-TON ET AL. 1,769,800

LEVEL MAINTAINING MEANS IN PUMPING SYSTEMS Original Filed July 18. 1922 /6 INVENTORS 3/ 30 Chesfer H Erase/fan f ed 5. Maclaren By A TTORNEY Patented July 1, 1930 FATE CHESTER H. BRASELTON, OF NEW YORK, AND FRED B. MACLAREN, 0F MALBA, NEW

' YORK; SAID MACLAREN ASSIGNOR T0 SAID BRASELTON LEVEL-MAINTAINING MEANS IN PUMPING SYSTEMS Application filed July 18, 1922, Serial No. 575,886. Renewed March 25, 1927.

This invention relates to a system and mechanism for use in connection with liquid lifting or feed devices such as those employing relative movements between co-acting means actuated by vibration, or direct mechanical means, or other means for feeding fuel, for example from a supply tank to a fuel consuming means, such as a charge forming device of a power plant or an internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle in which the mechanism is so arranged or means are so provided as to maintain an auxiliary or an initial supply of liquid in the fuel feeding system.

The invention constitutes another embodiment of our copending applications Serial No. 533,493, filed Feb. 1, 1922, and Serial No. 531,137, filed January 23, 1922, in which applications we reserve the right to claim the invention broadly. j

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangementin a fuel feeding system for maintaining a supply of liquid ready for immediate use irrespective of the emciency of action of any fluid flow controlling means, such as valves in a pumping mechanism or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a particular relation of pumping chamher and auxiliary chamber in a fluid pumping system with an elevated discharge from the pump chamber to the auxiliary tank so as to maintain an amount of liquid in the auXilary tank preventing reverse flow of the same through the pump to the source of supply.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel arrangement of valves, valve seats, and discharge inlet and outlet ports in a pumping system so arranged that the same may be located in longitudinal alignment but offset to prevent premature closing of the valves with respect to the valve seats and discharge and inlet ports.

Various other objects are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement of the related elements of the structure, and to various details of construction and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the drawing and related description of a form of the invention, which may be preferred in which Figure I is a diagrammatic view showing the invention applied to a fuel feeding device for an internal combustion engine of an automobile. Figure II is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the pumping mechanism illustrated herein and showing one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure I, we have illustrated an engine 10 on the chassis of an automobile having a carbureter 12 adapted to be supplied with gasoline from a fuel tank 13 located at a lower level than the level of the carbureter; An auxiliary supply tank 15 is located on a raised elevation with respect to the carbureter 12, and a feed line 16 connects the gasoline tank 13 with the auxiliarytank 15, while the feed line 17 at the bottom of the tank 15 connects the auxiliary tank to thecarbureter.

Various forms of pumping mechanism, fluid lifting or suction means may be employed for raising the fuel from the tank 13 to the auxiliary tank 15. In the present embodiment of the present invention, we have illustrated an inertia operating pumping mechanism 20 located Within the auxiliary tank 15, and in the specific arrangement shown the same comprises a plunger 21 carrymg an inertia mass or weight 22 spring supported on a coil spring 23 as will be apparent from an inspection of Figure II.

The bottom of the tank 15 is provided with aninlet cylinder 77 Within which is located an inlet valve chamber 28 screw-threaded at 29 to receive the screw threaded nipple 30 which in turn is screw-threaded as indicated at 31 to the supply pipe 16. The nipple 30 is provided at its upper edge with the valve seat 33, with which a ball valve 34:, in the particu lar embodiment illustrated, cooperates. The cylinder or valve cage 77, which returns the ball valve 3 1 is position, is provided with a discharge port 40 opening into the pump chamber 41 formed within the cylinder 77.

The lower end of the piston rod 20 carries a valve cage 45 provided with an inlet passage 46 having avalve seat 17 on the upper edge thereof. The ball valve 18 cooperates B5 invention,

therewith, the same, being located within the ball cage 45.

A discharge passage from the ball cage to the auxiliary tank 15 is provided through the piston rod 20, as indicated at 49.

As aisimple expedient for providing the means for maintaining an auxiliary supply of fuel in the tank 15, there is provided a statue spaced from the piston rod 20 so as to provide an annular passage 51 surrounding the iston rod through which the fuel may disc arge over the top of the sleeve 50 into the reservoir 15. It will thus be seen that the fuel cannot flow'in reverse direction from the reservoir, 15, in case the pump valve should leak excepting down to the height of the top o f the sleeve 50 so that there is always a reserve supply in the auxiliary tank 15 in the annular space between the sleeve 50, the cylinder 77 and the wall 15 of the tank which reserve may feed tothe carburetor 12 when. demanded through pipe 17. Moreover, it will be seen that the sleeve 50 forms a very simple and expedient means for accomplishing the result indicated. The reverse flow indicated'may occur from a number of reasons, as'whenthe device stands for any length of i and the valves have become slightly disgiyedor slightly worn, or for any reason there may be some leakage of the gasoline back tothe source of supply which might not however in an way interfere with the normad action of t e pumping mechanism. It will be noted that the valves, valve seats, and discharge ports are offset from actual ali ment so that the raising of the ball valve 84 or example, will not shut off the passage 40m)! will the lifting of the valve 48 interfere with the passage of the fluid through the passage 49 in the piston. It will also be noticed that we have provided a means for preventingcontinued action of the pumping mechanismby means of the passage through the we ht 20 opening into the chamber 61 so that the id is trapped in this chamber and prevent from discharging upon oscillation of the weight 20. Moreover, the piston rod is rovided with a manually operable extension 0 passing through the top of reservoir 15, the same being provided with a guiding means 71 as indicated.

Theoperation of the device will be understood from the description, and it will be seen that upon vibration the diiference in inertia between the pump and the cylinder or tank 15 causes an operation of the pumping mechanism which draws li uid through the pipe 16 and forces the same t rough the pump chamber 41 and discharges past the valve 48, out through the passage 49 to the annular-passage 51' an over the top thereof to the auxiliary chamber 15 from whence it may flow through pipe 17 to the carburetor 12.

t is apparent that, within the spirit of the modifications and different arrangements may be made other than as herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely; the invention comprehending all variations illustrated.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to secure by United States Letters Patent and claim is 1. A device of the class described, comprising a tank, a cylinder supported by said tank and provided with an inlet valve, a plunger working in said cylinder, an outlet valve and discharge port carried by said plunger, a resiliently supported weight secured to said plunger, said weight being provided with a chamber, and a member rigidly secured to said tank working in said chamber and forming a guide for said weight, said weight being provided with a passage connecting the space within said tank and said chamber whereby, when the liquid reaches a predetermined level in said tank, it passes into said chamber forming adash pot retarding movement of the plunger.

2. A device of the class described comprising a tank; pumping mechanism within said tank and communicating with the interior thereof; means surrounding said pumping mechanism and forming a well for maintaining a supply of liquid adjacent the same; a weighted member connected to said pumping mechanism means for resiliently supporting said member, said weighted member being provided with a chamber; and a member rigidly secured to said tank communicating with said chamber to form a dash pot therein.

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures.

FRED B. MACLAREN. CHESTER H. BRASELTON. 

